Álex Baena has already become one of La Liga’s most impactful midfielders, but outside of Spain he isn’t a household name. That won’t be the case for long.
In a game against Valencia in January 2012, Villarreal put together one of the most iconic passing sequences in modern La Liga history.
Starting from a free-kick on the touchline, deep in the opposition half, Borja Valero put the ball in motion. Marcos Senna returned it. Valero gave it back to Senna. Senna then looked to Bruno Soriano, and two passes later had the ball again, via a one-touch triangle.
By that point, the crowd at El Madrigal had started to vibrate, sensing that something out of the ordinary was building. Villarreal kept passing; short and sharp, constantly changing direction. The more they passed, the more the stadium vibrated. And the longer it went, the better they passed.
Fifteen passes in 15 seconds later, Villarreal escaped on the far side of the pitch, bringing the crowd to an ultimate crescendo. El Madrigal celebrated as if a goal had been scored.
Though the move didn’t alter the scoreline, it had been devastating in every intangible way. In a local derby, Villarreal had put together a passing move of such speed and precision that it looked like something from the training pitch without any opposition players in the way. And the only thing moving at speed had been the ball itself – no player involved in the sequence moved noticeably more than 10 yards.
The scene was certainly of its time. It occurred just under six months before Spain would win Euro 2012, capping a historic run of international success, and defining a new gold standard of associative, pass-and-move football in the process. Villarreal’s 15 seconds had been precisely in character of where Spanish football was at. As too were the players who carried it out: Borja Valero, Marcos Senna, Bruno Soriano, Cani; all midfielders of an unhurried nature, who defined the moment in varying degrees.
Inevitably, much has changed about football in the time since. Take a trip through Villarreal these days and you’ll still find timeless distribution masters like Dani Parejo, but the star midfield attraction of present day is something much different.
Homegrown talent Álex Baena has, at 23, already become one of La Liga’s most impactful midfielders – and he doesn’t have much tolerance for keep-ball or the slow-burn style of creation.
Few Can Rival Baena’s Combination of Vision and Execution
The last few seasons have seen Baena emerge as one of the leading creators in Spain’s post-Messi era, where the tag of creative king is now back up for debate.
And though far from being the only player in that discussion, Baena already has a good claim to the throne. It was he who, in 2024, became the first player to create 100+ chances in a calendar year in La Liga since Lionel Messi in 2017. His 14 assists last season were the most by a player aged under 23 since Mesut Özil in 2010-11. And his case has longevity, owing to the fact he leads Spain’s top flight for expected assists over the last three seasons (23.4), as well as this season specifically (10.5).
The numbers speak for themselves, but it’s the combination of the what and the how that marks Baena as a unique figure in Spanish football’s recent history, particularly when compared with his playmaking peers.
In a league long characterised by football that takes its time, the Villarreal man plays with contrasting intention – almost as if that at any stage of a match, at anywhere on the pitch, Baena is calculating the maximal damage he can inflict with his next move, and how quickly he can execute it. The 23-year-old leads all non-defenders in La Liga this season for both progressive passes (152) and progressive pass percentage (14%).
In essence, he advances the ball towards goal with more regularity than anyone else, while simultaneously being the most aggressive in doing so, as a percentage of his overall passes.
That’s not to say Baena is overly hurried or loose with his use of the ball, as if lacking sense for when to dial back the ambition. Rather, it’s a product of confidence in his execution. The Almería native has shown he can make game-changing passes with more than enough regularity to make them worth their while, and they’re fuelled by a desire to do damage with almost everything that leaves his feet.
No matter where he is on the pitch, Baena plays as if he’s indirectly thinking about – and capable of threatening – the opposition goal.
Those passes from all corners of the pitch speak to his almost-permanent state of aggression, but it’s what he does when he gets into opposition territory that has made him one of La Liga’s most impactful players. As Villarreal’s Director of Football, Miguel Ángel Tena, tells Opta Analyst: “[He] is a player with a special talent that, added to his understanding of the game, makes him a differential player across world football at the moment.”
Playing from the left side of Villarreal’s 4-4-2, Baena typically leaves the flank to full-back Sergi Cardona and goes looking for space in central pockets, or in deeper areas where he can pick up more immediate passes and start to play. For the Castellón side, they’re quite happy any time they can get Baena on the ball and face the opposition’s goal, whether it’s 20 yards away or 50, on the left or right. Though normally reserved for the act of distance shooting, Baena gives meaning to the term ‘long-range specialist’ in a creative sense.
From just about anywhere beyond the defensive third, the 23-year-old being in possession of the ball and having his eyes upfield is the point where sirens start sounding in the heads of opposition managers. As his growing showreel of passes confirms, Baena only ever seems to be one pass away from turning a controlled situation into one that needs an urgent and improvised response on the part of the defending side. Nor does he need any encouragement in trying the hard passes; he embodies the Kevin De Bruyne mantra pass completion doesn’t define me as a player.
Baena exerts an overwhelming force on opposition territory, subjecting them to all types of challenges from near or far. Slide-rule passes along the ground, in-swinging crosses to the back post, and zipped early passes from deep are just some of the ways in which he’s built his repertoire of destructive distribution. And, crucially, it’s that variety that makes him both an influential and diverse creator. Baena is only marginally behind Lamine Yamal (7.5) for expected assists from open play in La Liga this term (7.4), while also topping the charts from set plays (3.1).
Baena’s Speed of Thought is Complimented by His Quick-Trigger Release
Underlying the obvious dangers he presents, it’s the speed at which Baena executes that really spooks La Liga managers. Particularly in a game that is ever more concerned with limiting space and time between the lines, his time between reception and release of the ball is pivotal to much of his success. Or rather, the time between reception and release without trading quality for speed.
When defensive breakdowns or moments of positional weakness inevitably occur, Baena is one of La Liga’s best at recognising them and acting on them before opposition players and coaches have time to correct. Passages of play flow through him and onto better things – often with that punishing combo of quick thought and execution, as if both are embedded as one process.
As seen below from a win against Alavés, losing sight of Baena can bring pretty swift consequences. Coming in off the left wing, the away side’s right back Nahuel Tenaglia is unsure whether to follow him into the middle or pass him on.
Within that momentary doubt, Baena slides into a gap, receives on the half-turn, and has the ball out of his feet within a second…
He then plays a defence-splitting pass, with almost no lag, that sends Nicolas Pépé through one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Seeing not only his capacity to spot killer passes , but how quickly he can recognise and deliver them, has led to alternative approaches on the part of opponents. Indeed, along with traditional zonal setups, a number of different teams have called upon specific man-marking assignments to try and halt Baena this season.
And although it’s not gone quite as far as Pablo Maffeo – who famously followed Messi’s every step in a 2017 game between Girona and Barcelona – they’re certainly badges of honour in a league where targeted man-to-man jobs are pretty rare.
Here’s an example from last month against Real Valladolid, with the opposition’s right-sided midfielder Anuar Tuhami giving up the flank entirely to try and keep Baena at arm’s length.
Of course, it’s the age-old dilemma of facing multi-faceted players. It’s less about planning for how you’re going to stop them, it’s about what things you can take away from their game and what concessions you’re going to give up in the process.
The concern in Baena’s case stems from wanting to limit the opportunities for him to face the opposition’s goal as much as possible. For teams like Real Valladolid and Osasuna, who sent players in pursuit of him all over the pitch, it was about making him receive passes with a defender on his back and then haranguing him into either releasing the ball quickly or stopping him from being able to turn. Even if it comes at the risk of distorting their shape and opening up unusually large spaces, some have deemed it a worthwhile trade for trying to dim the impact of Baena’s lethal right foot.
The problem for teams facing Villarreal at present is that his arsenal of weapons only seems to be growing, along with sharper ways of getting to them.
As a versatile player who is essentially a number 10 occupying a wide role, but who has experience in playing more traditionally as a winger, Baena channels his creative game through a naturally dynamic style of play. He’s comfortable attacking at speed and picking out passes on the move, and he doesn’t need to be constantly involved to do a lot of damage.
It’s in that sense that he further diverges from traditional Spanish playmakers, who like a little more time on the ball and to feel ‘connected’ to the game to do their best work.
Baena is comfortable playing at tempo, on few touches, and intervening in short bursts of maximal damage – even though he welcomes as much initiative as possible.
That punchy-yet-precise style is also one of the reasons why Villarreal have become one of La Liga’s best at attacking in transition in recent seasons. Since Marcelino’s return to the club in November 2023 – coinciding with Baena’s eruption – they’re the only team in the division to have generated 50+ shots and scored 10+ goals from fast breaks.
Between Baena’s forward-thinking style and ability to pick out passes with minimal waste, the Yellow Submarine are frequently able to connect the dots that make up quick, dangerous attacks.
In the images below (away to Real Madrid), note how swiftly his thoughts turn to attack having recovered the ball, rather than retaining possession and looking to calm things down; the natural course of action for visiting sides at the Bernabeu. Baena sees Parejo, and says thanks, but no thanks.
His impact in those scenarios is another key differentiator for Baena and traditional Spanish creators, and it’s not only through passes that he’s able to unlock Villarreal’s potential in transition.
Though he’s unlikely to waltz through a crowd or beat his man consistently as a dribbler, Baena is a dependable ball carrier who can shift his way around pressure and into spaces from where he can pick out more valuable passes. Driving, jinking runs are no obstacle to the quality of his final action, and he doesn’t need to slow himself down to be able to produce that last moment.
Baena is one of only two attacking midfielders/wingers averaging both 5+ progressive carries and 5+ progressive passes per 90 in La Liga this season, along with Giovani Lo Celso.
Meanwhile, only Lamine Yamal, Vinícius Júnior, and Rodrygo have created more chances following a carry than the Villarreal man this term (18). It’s a combination that cements Baena as one of La Liga’s elite attacking players; a select group who aren’t reliant on just one speciality.
Now into this third season as a senior player, Baena has made light work of crystalising the different parts of his game, through varying roles he’s played during his development. From his loan spell at Girona as a wide forward, to playing in a double pivot at the U21 European Championships in 2023, and now in a free role coming off the left side at Villarreal, Baena has rapidly formed into a dynamic midfielder who is productive on all types of terrain; armed with rapid processing of the game and decisive creative ability that allows him to make the difference.
He isn’t the first, and won’t be the last, great creator to emerge in Spanish football, but it remains to be seen just how he’ll be defined by the end of his career. Despite his speciality for the last pass, there’s still a sense that even more can be parsed from Baena’s game in the coming years.
“I have to say that knowing his characteristics and his capacity for understanding the game, combined with his physical stats, I’m convinced that he can play in other areas. Such as a number eight in midfield with a more offensive role” says Miguel Ángel Tena.
With his game already defined by many different utilities in possession, as well as being adaptable in the different ways he can attack, Álex Baena is a player ready to be moulded within the changing dynamics and innovations of European football.
Becoming one of La Liga’s most influential playmakers might, somehow, be just the beginning.
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